Marcia Strassman Movies

Dale Messick's inexplicably popular Brenda Starr has to be one of the lamest comic strips ever perpetrated on an unsuspecting public; thus, any filmed version of the strip had nowhere to go but up. Jill St. John stars in this feature-length TV pilot film as plucky girl reporter Brenda Starr. While searching for a Howard Hughesish recluse, Brenda ends up in the wilds of Brazil at the mercy of voodoo-practicing natives. Happily, both St. John and special guest villain Victor Buono recognize the material for what it is, and make no effort to take things seriously. Brenda Starr debuted on May 8, 1976; no series of any kind followed. Other cinemadaptations of Brenda Starr include a 1945 Columbia serial starring Joan Woodbury, and a much-delayed (though not long-awaited) theatrical feature of the 1990s starring Brooke Shields. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The pilot episode of Welcome Back Kotter finds history and social studies teacher Gabe Kotter (Gabriel Kaplan) taking charge of the remedial class at Brooklyn's James Buchanan High School, some ten years after he had graduated from the same class. Despite his status as a former "Sweathog", Gabe has a lot of trouble riding herd over such "unteachable" 10th graders as Barbarino (John Travolta, Horshack (Ron Palillo), Epstein (Robert Hegyes) and Washington (Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs), and by the end of the first day he is sadly informing his wife Julie (Marica Strassman) that he intends to quit. Gabe is prevented from doing so when the "Sweathogs" tell him how much they really like and appreciate him--much to dismay of our hero's longtime nemesis, Buchanan's scowling vice-principal Woodman (John Sylvester White). Incredibly, this pilot show was NOT the debut episode of Welcome Back, Kotter's first season: Instead it was shown third, after episodes in which the sweathogs match wits with a snotty debate team, and in which Washington contemplates dropping out to become a basketball star. Though audiences of the time were probably confused by the chronological mixup, they quickly picked up on the comic rhythm of the show, especially those scenes in which Kotter's charges indulge in their pet hobb of "ranking"--that is, topping each other's insults. Before long, all of America was rooting for Kotter's sweathogs and booing the efforts of Mr. Woodman to undermine Kotter--which including finding an academic loophole forcing Gabe to retake his high school finals! Among the first season's best episodes are "Whodunit", in which student Rosalie "Hotsy" Totzie gets even with the sweathogs for underservedly tagging her with a "fast" reputation; "No More Mr. Nice Guy", in which Kotter and Woodman unexpectedly exchange personalities when Woodman takes over teaching the class one day; "Arriverdci Arnold", wherein the nerdy Horshack is promoted to a "smart" class--and hate it); "Follow the Leader", a two-part power struggle with Barbarino and Washington vying for the unofficial position of class leader; and "Dr. Epstein, I Presume", in which Epstein displays a hitherto unsuspected talent as a veterinarian. In addition to the actors mentioned above, Season One features a number of recurring characters: Vernee Jean Williams (Vernee Watson), who in one installment is talked out of marrying Washington by his pals; supersmart Judy Borden (Helaine Lembeck), whom Barbarino despises until she helps him improve his grades; and Todd (Dennis Bowen) and Maria (Catarina Cellino). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The 4077th goes into full mardi gras mode when General Clayton (Herb Voland) unofficially announces that a cease-fire has been declared. The only person who refuses to join in the festivities is Trapper (Wayne Rogers), who suspects that the good news is based upon a highly unreliable source. Meanwhile, Klinger (Jamie Farr) goes on a giveaway spree, while Hawkeye (Alan Alda) tries to weasel out of several promises made to several nurses in the heat of passion. "Cease-Fire" originally aired on March 18, 1973. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Hollywood comes to South Korea when General Clayton (Herb Voland) orders the members of the 4077th to appear in a filmed documentary. Disgusted by the intrusive moviemakers and the idiotic propaganda slogans he's being forced to recite, Hawkeye (Alan Alda) sabotages the epic and produces his own movie -- a zany Marx Brothers-style farce, with himself in the role of Yankee Doodle Doctor. Despite all the wackiness, there's a serious message lurking somewhere within Hawkeye's cinematic masterpiece. "Yankee Doodle Doctor" originally aired on October 22, 1972. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Company clerk Radar (Gary Burghoff) goes into a deep blue funk when he receives a Dear John letter from his hometown sweetheart. To lift Radar's spirits, Hawkeye (Alan Alda) and Trapper (Wayne Rogers) try to set him up with another girl. Their selection is Louise (Kelly Jean Peters), a dreamy-eyed nurse who is "into" classical music and poetry. As the heroes prepare Radar for his date, Hot Lips (Loretta Swit), outraged that one of her nurses would be squired by a mere enlisted man, tries to sabotage the whole arrangement. "Love Story" first aired on January 7, 1973. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Ironside (Raymond Burr) has trouble believing that Samantha Dain (Marcia Strassman), a famous folksinger who sent him a cheer-up note during his convalescence, has committed suicide by leaping from a tall building. Suspecting that Samantha was murdered, Ironside conducts his own investigation--and unearths a sordid tale of drug addiction, depression and despair. In a true "sign of the times" moment, one sequence takes place in a discotheque called "The Psychedelic Daffodil", clearly inspired by the popular LA nightspot The Daisy. Actor-librettist George Furth, who later who the book for the Broadway musical "Company", appears as Ray Harrison. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide